Vulcanizing system



July 26, 1932- R. D. CLEVELAND 1,858,791

VULCANIZING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 20. 1931 .2 Sheets-Shea?l l lll! .5x/mustAToRNEY uy 26, i932 R. D. CLEVELAND VULCANIZING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 20,1931 Z'Sheets-Sheet 2 Pressure ATTORNEY ROBERT D. CLEVELAND, OF

Patented July v26, 1932 narran sia'issl sA'rENi" ori-ics noorins'rnn,New YORK, AssiGNonTo TAYLOR INSTRU- MENT COMPANIES, OF ROCHESTER, NEWYORK, A CORPORATION OFy NEW YORK f VULCANIZING SYSTEM Application filedNovember 2o, 1931. serial No. 576,312.` i

from the mold sections of a vulcanizing device.

At the present time individual tire and tube vulcanizers are arrangedinja group or battery with a common header for' supplying the heatingmedium suchr as steam for m` the mold sections of the severalvulcanizersis, trap fails to function, the condensate will and with a commonmanifold through which the condensate formed in these sections by thecooling of the steam, passes to a single steam trap. It for any reasonsuch a steam accumulate in the manifold and will back up into theseveral vulcanizers, thereb `re'-` ducing the temperature ,of thesections t ereof to a pointwherel imperfectcures are efected resultingin Vdefective tubes. Since' there are usually a large number ofvulcanizers in a battery, the defective' opera# tion of the steam trapcommonfthereto',` frequently'results in the production oia large numberof defective tires or tubesbefore such faultyl operation is discovered.

ln accordance with the j present it is proposed automatically to exhaustthe condensate from each vulcanizer into the open air at some periodduring its cycle of operation in forming a tube or tire.

` arrangement of' the present invention.

'cluding tire vulcanizers. i thepresent vulcanizer is more fully`disclosed l -Fig 1 is Other features oft-he invention willy appear fromthe detailed description and claims when taken with the drawings inwhich a side elevation oi a typical vulcanizerwith its controllingapparatus; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of this controllingapparatus and certain portions ofV the vulcanizer'; and Fig. 3V is ayvertical section oi a motor valve'suitable for use inthe Referringespecially to Fig.. 1, 5 -designates a base or pedestalof an individualtube viulcanizer, although the invention isy applicableto' various typesof vulcanizers inin the cop'ending application of Striclzlen and Fraine,Ser. #556,508, filedy Aug. 12, 1931, andl therefore the detailsofconstrucinvention, y

The structure"of tion and operation will be only generally" referred to.l, y

@n the upper end of the pedestal 5 there is mounted a diaphragm casing6, on which' there is supported the kloosely, mounted or iioating lowermold section 7. This mold l.

There is also indicated a breech lock 17 thestructure and operationl oi'which are more clearly Vdisclosed in the mentioned copendingapplication. For purposes of this description, it is suiiicient ,tostate that a piston 18 (Fig. 2) operates withinthe cylinder 19 to rotatethe breeclr lock 17 in one direction to lock the mold sections 7 and 9iny engagement and in the reverse direction to unlock` them.k f n Themold sections fr' and 9 are hollow to receive a heating medium such assteam, fur` nished through a common steam supply line or header 20,conduit 21 leading to a 'port opening into the lower mold section 7 andthence through pivoted pipe section 23 and pivoted joint 24 to the' pipe22 kpivoted in a port in the upper mold section 9 `and com" municatingwith the interior thereof. The steam condensate collecting in thehollow` moldsections during the operation of the vulcanizer iiowsthrough the ports of the respecv.9()

pipes 22, 28 and 25, 264 are so pivotedinthis manner that steam maylenter the mold sec! tions from steamv supply line 2O and conden-u Satemay Collect 111 einem Wahut-fnterer;

1 to the interior of theupper mold section. The,

,supply fluid pressure to the upper ing with the opening and the closingof the upper mold section. It will be understood that a three-way motorvalve 37 (Fig. 3) having two independent operating diaphragms 80 and 81in its top, connects pipe 28 to its exhaust port or to manifold 29 whichlead to a steam trap 30 of any well-known design.

In connection with the vulcanizer, there is provided a timing deviceincluding' pilot valves 32, 33 and 34 (Fig. 2) which are actuated inaccordance with a predetermined schedule by a time-controlled cam 35 andcam follower 36. These pilot valves cooperate in the control of motorvalves 37, 33, 39 and 40 to control the 7arious operations of thevulcanizer. lt will be understood that at the conclusion of eachvulcanizing cycle, the fre-e end of the follower arm 36 engages thedeepest cutting of the cam 35, as shown, so that the frame 41 operatedthereby, is in a position to hold pilot valve 34 open, while tl e pilotvalves 32 and are closed. At this time, therefore, fluid pressure passesfrom the supply conduit 42 through pilot valve 34, thence throughconduit 43 to the top of the motor valve 40. This motor valve is thusoperated and supplies fluid pressure from the supply conduit 44 to theupper side of the piston 15, (Fig. 1), causing it to move downward toits lowerinost position in the cylinder 16. As the piston 15 movesdownward, the piston rod 14 linked to the arm 12 of the upper moldsection swings this section on the pivot 10 to its open position whereit remains until the beginning of the next cycle, since motor valve 40continues to supply fluid pressure to the upper surface of piston 15.tiimultaneously conduit 43 and branch conduit 53 diaphragm of motorvalve 37 so that this valve holds its exhaust port closed, while conduit43 and branch conduit 49'supply fluid pressure to hold electropneumaticswitch 50 open.

However, when it is desired to start the press, aft-er an uncured tube59 has been inserted in the lower mold section and has been properlyconnected to the conduit for subsequent inflation, the operator thendepresses the starting handle 46. The starting handle thus actuatesexhaust valve 47 permitting the fluid pressure in conduit 43 and branchconduits 58 and 49 to escape. This causes the motor valve 40 to releasewhich, in turn, cuts off the fluid pressure supply from the upper partof the cylinder 16 above piston 15. liston 15 thereupon rises as themold section 9 drops downward under the action of gravity. Likewise whenthe fluid pressure is relieved in conduit 43 and its branch conduit 53,motor valve 37 opens its exhaust port so th at any condensate that hascollected in pipe 28 is blown into the atmosphere.

As is more fully disclosed in the mentioned copending application, whenfluid pressure is relieved from the conduit 43 and branch conduit 49,the electro-pneumatic switch 50 completes a circuit through theconductors 51 and the clocli motor 52, to the source of current. Underthe control of this circuit, clock motor drives the cam 35 in accordancewith a predetermined schedule and as the follower arm 3G engages theinclined portion A of the cam 35, the frame 41 closes the pilot valve 34and then opens the pilot valve ldfhen the pilot valve 33 is opened, itsupplies fluid pressure from the fluid supply conduit 42 throughconduits 54 and 55 to the tops of the motor valves 37 and 39. Thisactuates the lower diaphragm in the motor valve 37 thereby causing it toclose its eX- haust port and to connect the pipe 28 through manifold 29to the steam trap 30. Motor valve 39 is also actuated at this time andsupplies fluid pressure from common supply conduit 44 through conduit 56and then through branch conduit 57 to the right-hand end of the breechlock cylinder 19 (Fig. 2), causing the piston 13 to move toward the left(Fig. 2) for tie purpose of operating breech lock 17 to locl; the moldsections 7 and 9 closed` Similarly fluid pressure supplied to conduit 5Gpasses through the constriction 61 to the annular diaphragm 8 whichdiaphragm, it will be recalled, serves to bring the upper and lower moldsections tightly into registration.

"n the course of the rotation of the cam 35, its follower 36 inprogressing up cam incline A, elevates the frame 41 still farther sothat the pilot valve 32 is now opened, together with pilot valve 33which has previously been opened. The opening of the pilot valve 32supplies fluid pressure from the common source 42, through conduit 62,to the top of the motor valve 38. This valve is thus operated andsupplies fluid pressure from conduit 44, through conduit 60 to inflatethe tube 59 to which has been infeviously connected. The free end of thecam follower 36 now e gages the circular contour of the cam 35 therebyoperating frame 41 to hold the pilot valves 32 and 33 opened and pilotvalve 34 closed until the end of the curing or vulcanizing period. Thenwhen the follower 36 engages the lirst cutting B in the cam, followingthe circular portion, the frame 41 drops sufliciently so that the pilotvalve 32 releases to cut off Huid pressure from conduit 62. This causesthe motor valve 38 to close whereupon the tube 59 is deflated throughconduit 60 and the exhaust port of motor valve 38. Subsequently, as thecam 35 advances farther the follower 3G drops into the second camcutting C which closes pilot valve 33. This, in turn, closes motor valve39 and permits the diaphragm 8 and the right-hand portion of thecylinder 19 to exhaust. Also when the pilot valve 33 closes, the fluidpressure which has been applied through conduit 54 to the lowerdiaphragm of motor valve 37 during the curing period, is relieved andthis motor valve disconnects the pipe 28 from the manifold 29 'leadingto steam trap 30 and connects it to the motor valve exhaust port so thatany condensate that has. formed in the mold sections, is blown into theopen air. The cam 35 continues to rotate until the follower 36 advancesinto the lowerinost cam cutting corresponding to the normal position,then frame 41 drops to'a position to open the valve 34 whereupon fluidpressure is supplied from the source 42 through conduit 43 to the top ofthe motor valve 40. Thisk motor valve supplies pressure from the source44 through conduit 63 to the lleft-hand side of cylinder 19, whereuponthe piston 18 moves the breech lock 17 to a position to unlock the moldsections. Fluid'pressure in conduit 63 is also supplied through theconstriction 64 to the top side of piston 15 moving it downward with aconsequent opening of the upper mold section. It should be statedthatthe4 constriction 64 serves to delay the action of the piston 15until the breech lock has been moved to a position to unlock thesections. Fluid pressure in branch conduit 49 keeps the electropneumaticswitch 5() open which fluid pressure in branch conduit 58, keeps themotor valve 87 operated so that its' exhaust port is closed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the motor valve 37 functions toexhaust condensate accumulating in the pipe 28 and the mold sections 7and 9, both at the beginning and at the end of the curing cycle. In thefirst instance, this condensate is blown out of the pipe 28 during thetime-that the upper mold section is closing and until the pilot valve 33opens to operate the breech block and to inflate the diaphragm. Pipe 28is also blown out at the conclusion of the curing cycle in the intervalwhile the breech lock 17 is being unlocked. By this arrangement theinteriors of the mold sections are maintained substantially free fromcondensate and these sections are therefore at the proper temperaturefor curing, thereby obviating an important cause of defective tubes.

lliile the invention has been disclosed in connection with a tubevulcanizer, it will be readily appreciated that it may be appliedrto anyother vulcanizing device operating according to a predetermined timecycle.

I claim: l

1. In a vulcanizing system, a vulcanizer including hollow mold sectionsarranged to be heated by hot vapor, means including a fiuid pressureoperated motor valve for exhausting condensate from said mold sections,

means including a second fluid pressure oper-V ated motor valve forcontrolling the opening and closing of said mold sections, conduitsnormally applying iiuid pressure to said motor valves, and a manualdevice for relieving the iuid pressure in said conduits.

2. In a vulcanizing system, a vulcanizer including hollowmold sectionsarranged to be heated'by hot vapor, means including ay motor valve forexhausting condensate fromk said mold sections, operating mechanism forsaid vulcanizer,ineans including a regulating device for controllingsaid operating `mechaf nismin accordance with time, and lmeans includingsaid regulating Vdevice for con-V trolling the operationof said motorvalve.

8. `Ina system of the class described, a vulcanizer including hollowmold sections larranged to be heated. by hot vapor, an outlet forea'climold section, ymeans including a motorvalve for opening andclosing a concludi ng said regulatingdevice for controlling theoperation of said motor valve.

Ina system of the class described, a vulcanizer including hollow moldsections arranged to be heatedby hot vapor,an outletr for each mold'section, operating mechanism for said vulcanizer, a conduit common tosaid outlets, a `motor valve controlling the opening of said conduit,means' including a time cycle device for controlling `said operatinglmechanism in' accordance with time to determine a vulcanizingcycle, andmeans including said device for oper ating said motor valve durinO aortion of a vulcanizinfr` c cle.

5. Iii-a system of thel class described, ay

vulcanizer including hollow mold sections arranged to be heated by hotvapor, operating mechanism for said vulcanizer, means including a` motorvalver controlling. the exhausting of condensate from said sections,means including a timecycle device for controllinggsaid loperatingmechanism in accordance-with time-to determine a vulcanizing cycle, andmeans including said device for controlling said motor valve during aportion of a vulcanizing cycle. f

6.v In a vulcanizing system, a vulcanizer including hollow mold sectionsarranged to b-e heated by hot vapor, each mold section being providedwith an outlet` operating mechanism for said vulcanizer, a manifold,meanslinc'luding ay motor valve for connecting said outlets alternatelyto said manifold and -to the atmosphere, mea-iis including va regulatingdevicefor controlling said operating mechanism in accordance ,with time,and means including said regulating device for controlling the operationof said motor valve. f

7.InV asystem of the class described, 'a vulcanizer including yhollowmold'f sections arrangedto be heatedby steam, an outlet'fo'r each 'moldsection, a conduit common to said outlets, anda valve controlling theopening o-f `said conduit 'to the atmosphere, mechanism for controllingthe closing of said mold sections, mechanism tor locking said sectionsin closed condition, a time cycle device controlling the operation oisaid mechanisms,

and means responsive to said device for opening said valve to theatmosphere.

8. In a system of the class described, a vulcanizer including hollowmold sections arranged to be heated by steam, an outlet for 4each moldsection, a conduit common to said operation of the mold sect-ions andthe lockmg of the same.

9. ln a system of the class described, a vulcanizer including hollowmold sections arranged to be heated by hot vapor, an outlet for eachmold section, operating mechanism for said vulcanizer, means includinfya motor falve controlling the connection of said outlets to t-heatmosphere, means including al time cycle device for controlling saidoperating mechanism in accordance with time to determine a vuleanizingcycle, and means including said device for operating said motor valve atthe beginning and at the end of each vulcanizing cycle.

lO. In a system of the class described, a vulcanizer including hollowmold sections arranged to be heated by steam, means including a motorvalve for exhausting condensate from said mold sections, mechanism i"orcontrolling the closing of said mold sections, mechanism for lockingsaid sections in closed condition, a time cycle device controlling` theoperation of said mechanisms, and means responsive to said device foroperating said valve.

ll. ln a system of the class described, a vulcanizer including hollowmold sections arranged to be heated by steam, means including a motorvalve for exhausting condensate from said mold sections, mechanism forcontrolling 'the opening and the closing of said mold sections,mechanism for locking said sections in closed condition, a time cycledevice controlling the operations of said mechanisms and meansresponsive to said device for opening said valve to the atmosphereduring aV portion or" the interval between the operation of saidmechanisms.

l2. In a system of the class described, a vnlcanizer including hollowmold sections arranged to be heated by steam, an outlet for each moldsection, aV conduit common to said outlets, a steam trap connectible tosaid conduit, a motor valve in one of its positions serving to connectsaid conduit to the atmospliere and in another of its positions to saidsteam trap, said valve being provided with two actuating diaphragme, afluid-pressure controlled device for normally holding the mold sectionsin open relation, one of said diaphragms being supplied with fluidpressure in common with said device, a fluid pressure controlled devicefor locking said sections closed, said second diaphragm being suppliedwith fluid pressure in common with said locking device, the applicationot iiuid pressure to either of said diaphragms serving to close saidconduit to the atmosphere, and means for controlling the application offluid pressure to said devices and to said diaphragms.

ln testimony whereoiC l alliX my signature.

ROBERT l). CLEVELAND.

Lili)

